Rings of Topaz
by Saiyaness28
Summary: MY FIRST HALLOW KINGDOM FIC! Delilah doesn't now it, but she's just sold her freedom to the new Goblin king for a ring. However, if Marak Batclaw thinks she'll be easy to tame he's got another thing coming. Can this golden eyed man-hater ever love him?
1. Chapter 1

Rings of Topaz

"I see before me, a strong, determined young woman with a fierce passion burning within her Topaz eyes, an ideal King's Wife." –Marak Bat-claw

* * *

Beware the Charming Ones

"Delilah, where did we put the silver?" asked her mother from the kitchen. "They're on the dining room table." Replied Delilah from the dining room. "Oh, thank you dear. I swear I'd lose my head if it weren't attached to my neck." Flustered Linda, Delilah's mother, as she bustled about the small house. They'd just moved to Hollow Hill the previous day, they'd come all the way from Ireland. Delilah's father had gone ahead to America to begin building a new life for the family over five years ago. He still had not returned, nor sent as much as letter to his wife and daughter. Delilah was now by all rights a woman, of sixteen. And a pretty one at that, Her dark chestnut hair fell in waves down her back, her skin glowed with a sun kissed luster and her eyes were a beautiful golden color. It was those eyes of hers that got men's attention, though she never paid them any attention. After it became clear that her father had abandoned them, Delilah acquired a deep hatred for men. She was content in living her life alone with her mother and dying an old maid, perhaps she'd become a nun someday.

Delilah stared out the window at the sparkling waters of the lake as she folded one of her mother's quilted masterpieces. "Isn't the lake breathtaking." Breathed Linda, putting her arms around her daughter's shoulders. "I used to love swimming in the lake when I was younger." Linda had grown up in the Hollow. She'd moved to Ireland upon marrying George Winters. "It's beautiful, mother." Delilah stated without much feeling. Linda took some money from the pocket of her apron and handed it to Delilah, "Could you please go to town and buy us some vegetables for dinner tonight." Delilah hid the money in her bodice and headed out the door, grabbing her favorite maroon cloak on her way out.

Delilah walked slowly down the cobblestone streets of the village marketplace. The street was crowded and noisy and it was all biting at her nerves. She looked about at the many merchants' stands and stopped to watch a gypsy woman dance to a lively song. Once the dance was over she continued down the patch until she came to stand with beautiful jeweled rings on display. One ring in particular caught her eye it was made of twisted silver encrusted with three golden jewels. "You have a good eye." Said a pleasant voice. Startled, she looked up into a shadowed opening of a black hooded cloak. The man picked up the ring she'd been admiring and carefully looked it over. "I believe this ring suits you. The topaz stones are the same color as your eyes." He complimented. Despite herself, Delilah felt flattered. The man offered her the ring, "Try it on." Delilah declined, "Oh, no thank you. I really shouldn't." The hood slanted to the side, "Surely there's no harm in trying it on." Reluctantly, Delilah took the ring from him and slipped it onto her finger. She was so full of delight, a beaming smile lit up her face. "Wow" said the man, snapping her back into reality. "You're even more beautiful when you smile." A strange heat crossed her cheeks. "This just gets better and better." Chuckled the hooded man. "Pardon?" she asked, not knowing what he was talking about. "Nothing…I tell you what, I'll give this ring to you for free in exchange for your name."

Delilah was in a loss for words. What was with this man? The rings he peddled were all very beautifully crafted. They appeared quite expensive. Why was he giving them away. However… She looked down at the ring on her finger. It fit perfectly. She wanted it so badly. "Delilah." She blurted out, "My name's Delilah."

Delilah burst through the door with a big smile on her face, "Mother, you'll never guess what happened at the market!" she giggled showing her the ring. "My word child, where did you get the money to pay for this?" asked her mother. "A merchant gave it to me for free." Linda's brown eyes narrowed, "Certainly there must be a catch. You didn't promise him any favors did you?" Delilah blushed, "No of course not, he just wanted to know my name." Her mother's eyes doubled in size, "You told a complete stranger your name!" she shrieked, horrified at her daughter's actions. "Not my full name. Don't worry so much mother, there must be a thousand Delilahs in the world."

Linda ran her finger's through her black hair in frustration, "Still, you shouldn't do that kind of thing." Delilah sighed, touching the jewels on her ring, "I'm sorry, mother. There was just something about him. I couldn't say no." Linda rolled her eyes and plopped down in a chair, "It's called charm my dear. I couldn't say no to your father either. Now look at where I am: in this pitiful little shack, with barely any money, raising you all by myself. Beware the charming ones for their sweet words are as deadly as snake venom."


	2. Chapter 2

Hallow Lake

After dinner, Linda and Delilah retired early. Delilah was sleeping peacefully until a powerful voice began to whisper in her ear. "Delilah, wake up, my darling. Come to me. Come to the lake. I'm waiting for you." Said the voice. Delilah threw off her blanket and got out of bed. Wrapping a quilt around her shoulders, she tiptoed out of the house and made her way to the moonlit waters of Hollow Lake.

The light of the full moon and twinkling stars made it easy for her to make her way through the dark night. Though, she still believed she was asleep. Only her body was aware of what was happening. As her bare feet touched the sandy shore of the lake, Delilah jolted out of her trance. "W-What am I doing out here?" she asked herself. "I called you here, Delilah." Said the same powerful voice that had whispered to her in her dreams. Delilah's eyes focused in the dim light as they searched the darkness for the source of the voice. The clouds passed over the moon's surface, illuminating the figure of a man wearing a black hooded cloak.

"You!" she shrieked, recognizing him as the man who'd given her the ring. "Forgive me for waking you at such an hour, but it was urgent that I speak with you." He said, calmly. Delilah's golden eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What do you want? Is it about the ring you gave me? I'll give it back to you if you want it."

"No, it's nothing like that." The man said, lowering his hood. The sight that met her eyes, chilled her straight through. He wasn't human! His skin was pale gray, his lips only a darker shade, his long hair was black with white strands running through it, ears like that of a terrier dog's peaked through, and his silver-blue eyes shined with a sinister luster.

Delilah shrieked and ran up the hill as fast as her legs could go. "Stop!" shouted the…thing. Delilah stopped in her tracks. Her legs wouldn't move. It was like they were stuck to the ground. She tried to pry them from the ground but to no avail. "Come here." Commanded the monster. As if she no longer had free will, Delilah obeyed. She walked slowly back down the slope and stopped on the beach where he'd commanded her.

She looked into his eyes with horror reflecting in the golden pools of her own. "What are you? Who are you? And what is this power you have over me?" she asked in a low whisper, her voice shaking with unshed tears of fear. He grinned, his upper and lower canine teeth pointed and sharp. "In order, I am a Goblin. My name is Marak Batclaw the Goblin king, and this power I have over you is called magic."

Delilah laughed, "Goblins and magic aren't real. None of that stuff is real." Marak cocked his head to the side, " Then how do you explain my appearance?" She glared at him, "There's plenty of ugly people in the world." He returned the glare, "Then how come you can't move." She shrugged her shoulders, "Power of suggestion, maybe. I read that somewhere." Marak rolled his eyes and took a few steps back. "Levitate, three feet in the air." He commanded and Delilah's feet lifted three feet off the ground. She screeched loudly, thrashing about in the air, trying to get down. "Are you doing this all on your own, Delilah?" he mocked. "Fine! You win! Get me down!" she screamed. He snapped his fingers and Delilah fell from the sky. Marak caught her in his arms before she hit the ground.

When she opened her eyes, she found herself in his arms, his face only inches from hers. There was something strange about the way his arms felt around her. His right arm felt normal, but his left felt misshapen and twisted. She shrieked and clamored out of his embrace, knocking him to the ground. She began to run away again but his voice stopped her once more, "Stay where you are!" Delilah grunted in frustration, crossing her arms defiantly. He stood in front of her, his form towering over hers. Her head only reached his chest. He had to be over six feet tall. "What do you want from me?" she hissed.

He began to slowly circle her, like a bird of prey. She watched him all the while, never taking her eyes off of him. "Do you know what I see, when I look at you?" he asked in a melodic voice, " I see before me, a strong, determined young woman with a fierce passion burning within her topaz eyes, an ideal King's Wife." Delilah's eyes widened, dread twisting her insides. Marak drew very close, dangerously close, to her. Delilah's heart began to race as Marak ran his right hand through her hair. "I've come to take you away with me, to my kingdom just beneath this lake. You're going to be my wife, Delilah." He whispered lowly in her ear.

Delilah slapped him hard across the face, making him stagger. "I will never marry you!" she screamed. She picked up some sand and threw it at him. "Leave me alone!" She thought that sand in the face would break his concentration but her feet still wouldn't budge.

Marak picked himself up and removed his gloves. The goblin whirled around and extended his left arm towards her. Delilah's heart skipped a beat. She knew now, why he was called Marak Batclaw. His arm didn't seem to belong to the rest of him. It was twisted and misshapen. The leather-like skin was nearly black. His arm became skinner as it went down to his hand and ended in claws. A silver light, similar to the color of his eyes glowed around his bat claw. "Be silent and still." He ordered in a hiss. Delilah wanted to scream but couldn't make a sound, she wanted to run but she couldn't move any part of her body. Tears spilled over her cheeks and splattered the sand at her feet.

Seeing her cry, Marak released her from his magic. She fell to her knees, sobbing. Feeling fully ashamed of himself now, he put his glove back on his bat arm and came to her side. "I'm sorry, I didn't hurt you did I?" he asked with concern. Delilah shook her head, "Please, don't take me away," she croaked, "I'm all my mother has left. Don't take me away from her." Marak touched her chin and angled it up so that their eyes locked. "Very well, I promise I won't separate you from your mother. You have my word as a Goblin." Her eyes narrowed in disbelief, " Why should I believe you?" she asked suspicion tainting her voice. His lips curved slightly, "because I love you." He chuckled in amusement, as Delilah's cheeks grew redder. "Besides, Goblins are incapable of lying." He said, helping her to her feet. "You may go home now. It's late, you should get some rest." With that, Delilah took off. She ran all the way back to the house, never once looking back, fearing that if she did, she'd see him, or perhaps an army of Goblins at her heels. As soon as she was home, she ran to her bed and covered her head with the covers.

The following morning, Delilah prepared biscuits in a sleepy daze. She couldn't shake the previous night's events from her mind. "Delilah, why is this blanket and your night gown covered in sand?" Linda asked, entering the kitchen, carrying the blanket and gown. She thought she had hid them. "I-I um…went out to the lake last night." Linda's eyebrows furrowed, "Why? You didn't meet a boy out there did you?" she asked, her cheeks going pink while Delilah's was beet red. "Cause if you did, I'd like to meet him, so I can kick his little ass." Linda flustered, throwing the gown and blanket in a laundry basket. "Mother!" Delilah groaned, "Why is your mind always in the gutter?" Linda shrugged, "I was young once." Delilah shook her head, putting her hands to her hips, "I wasn't with a man last night, I just wanted to see the lake at night. It's really beautiful." Linda picked up the laundry basket, "Hmm" she muttered as she went out to wash the clothes. Delilah hated lying to her mother but if she had told her the truth she probably would've thought she was crazy.

The day passed by slowly, the hours seeming to drag on and on. Finally, it was dinnertime. Delilah and her mother sat down to eat their rice and stew. "There was a man wasn't there?" Linda prodded, taking a sip of her tea. "I have no idea what you're getting at." She retorted. Linda smirked at the nervous expression on her daughter's young face. "You've been even quieter than normal today and I swear your cheeks haven't stopped blushing all day. Now I want to know who he is." Delilah sighed raggedly, her eyes glassing over, "There is no man, mother, and there will never be a man."

Suddenly the door burst open and three tall men in black hooded cloaks barged in. "I want them both. Mirk, block the door. Berg, get the mother, I can handle my little bride." Ordered the smallest of the three. "Marak!" gasped Delilah, jumping from her seat and quickly backing away. Linda let out a horrified scream and fainted into Berg's arms. "Mother!" screamed Delilah. Marak corralled her into the kitchen.

Marak and Delilah danced around each other. Every move she made to escape, he blocked. Delilah was backed into a corner. She grabbed a knife from the tabletop and discreetly slipped it into her sleeve. "You said you would leave me alone!" she hissed. Marak lowered his hood and grinned at her, his sharp fangs glistening, "I never said any such thing. I promised I wouldn't separate you from your mother. So I'm taking you both." Delilah's heart flared with anger. "You tricked me." The Goblin shook his head, "You should've paid more attention to what you were agreeing to." He rushed to grab her and Delilah stabbed him in the side with the knife. Marak grunted in pain, backing away, grabbing at his side. Blood spilled over his hands and dripped on the floor. He glared up at her, "Delilah…"and pointed his clawed hand at her, "…sleep." He gargled, blood dripping from his lips. Delilah slumped to the floor, the blood stained knife clattered on the tiles next to her.

"Mirk! Berg! Get in here!" he yelled as loud as he could, wincing at the pain in his side. Mirk and Berg shouldered through the door. Berg had Linda slung over his shoulder. "Marak, what happened?" Mirk gasped. Marak glanced over his shoulder at the girl sleeping on the floor, "The little minx stabbed me." He turned back to Mirk, a seven-foot tall behemoth with bear-like arms. "Could you carry her for me please." Mirk picked Delilah up off the floor and the three left the house with the two women.


	3. Chapter 3

It's Not My Heart He Broke

"Where am I?" asked Delilah when she awoke to an unfamiliar room. She sat up on the bed and looked around at her surroundings. The door opened and a beautiful woman with long silken hair and lustrous blue eyes entered the room. Her hair was so blonde it was nearly white and her ears were slightly pointed. "Hello dear, how did you sleep?" the woman asked pleasantly. "Who are you?" asked Delilah, looking at the woman suspiciously. "My name is Berta." The woman replied, her pink lips twisting into a smile. "Allow me to apologize for my son's behavior. I told him not to frighten you." Delilah's eyes widened, "You're Marak's mother!" Berta nodded, "Yes, I'm afraid he's taken more after his father than I initially realized. The boy lives for tradition." Delilah sat at the edge of the bed, "What do you mean?" Berta sat down at a small table beside the bed. She tucked her hair behind one of her pointed ears, sighing deeply to herself. "It is an ancient Goblin tradition for the king to kidnap a human or elfin bride." So that's what all this was about! He still wanted to marry her!

"Well, Marak can just take me back home, because I refuse to marry him." Delilah stated sternly, standing up. She swayed and sat back down on the bed. She stood back up, swaying back and forth on her wobbly legs. They felt like spaghetti. "Where's my mother?" she asked. Berta helped to support her, "She's in another room just down the hall. I'll take you to her." With Berta's help, Delilah was reunited with her mother.

"Delilah!" cried Linda, taking Delilah into her arms, "I thought I'd lost you!" Delilah hugged her tightly, "I'm so sorry mother." Linda held her daughter's face in her hands, "For whatever for?" she asked, looking upon her with love. "For dragging you into this. It's all my fault." Linda wrapped her arms tighter around her, "shhh, it's alright, child, it's alright. Be glad we still have each other." Linda looked up at Berta, "Who is she?" she asked Delilah. Delilah withdrew from their hug and glanced Berta's way. "She's the mother of the creature who kidnapped us." Linda held her close, protectively. "What does he want with us?" she asked, her glare fierce and unshakable.

Berta seemed unaffected, "Marak wants nothing from you, Linda. He's chosen Delilah for his queen and the only way she would come was if you came with her." "What were those things that brought us here?" asked Linda. Berta smiled slightly, "Goblins. You are now in the Goblin kingdom within Hallow Hill, where you will stay for the rest of your lives or until Marak sees fit to release you." There was a rapid knock on the door and a goblin's head peeked through. He had shaggy red hair and black stripes decorated his golden skin. He reminded Delilah of a tiger she'd seen at the circus when she was little. "My Lady, they are in need of your assistance in the infirmary." He said, his voice had a purr-like affect to it. "Is Marak all right?" she asked worriedly. The man's bright green eyes darted to the ground, "They are having trouble stopping the bleeding." Berta shot Delilah a deadly glare then hurried out the room. "Guard these two, Tagero." She ordered as she passed him.

Delilah spent the afternoon curled up in a far corner of the room as her mother made small talk with the Goblin man named Tagero. What if Marak died? What would the Goblins do to them then? Would they kill them or let them go?

Berta returned later that night. "You're lucky I was able to stop Marak's bleeding. He'll pull through." She said, her eyes turning colder by the second. "You better count your lucky stars, because if he had died, the goblins would have torn you apart if I didn't do it first." She hissed at Delilah. She looked over at Tagero who was sipping tea with Linda. "Let's go." Tagero thanked Linda for the tea and left with his mistress.

The following morning, Berta came again. "Delilah, Marak has asked for you." Delilah shrugged, "What does he want?" Berta's eyebrow twitched slightly in irritation. "It doesn't matter. When the king sends for you, you go." Berta grabbed Delilah's arm and dragged her down the hall. "Hey! What's the big idea! Let go of me!" shouted Delilah, snatching her arm away.

Berta shoved her against the wall, "Listen here you little brat!" Berta snapped, "My son has gone through too much for you to break his heart! If you ever hurt him again, I will end you! Do you understand me?" Delilah was taken back by the venom in Berta's voice. She nodded. "Good." Berta cooed as she threw open a door and shoved her inside.

Marak lay on a small bed, layers of blankets thrown over him, his chest and stomach bandaged tightly with gauze. His silver eyes drifted towards her, "Hello." He croaked. Delilah didn't reply. "You and my mother seem to be getting along. "He said sarcastically. "I could hear her yelling at you from in here." Marak chuckled. He coughed violently then let out a ragged sigh. "Forgive her. She's just worried. My father, Marak Snake Eyes, died only recently. She still hasn't come to terms with his death." Delilah sat down in a chair by his bedside. "You shouldn't talk." She said, picking up a rag and dipping it in a bowl of water. She rung it out and padded his head with it. "I'm sorry I stabbed you." Marak grinned, "No you're not. Don't lie." Delilah smiled slightly, "You're right. I am glad you didn't die though." He grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly, his silver eyes searching her eye's golden pools for knowledge. "Why? Because you fear what my people would do to you?" She pulled her hand out of his grasp, "How do you do that?" she asked, looking away from him. "Do what?" "See into my mind." He groaned as he sat up in his bed, holding his side where she had delivered his life-threatening wound. "Your mind isn't very hard to read. Your thoughts are reflected in your eyes."

He pointed towards the shelving across the room from the bed. "Could you get my medicine for me." She got up and crossed the room to the shelves of herbs. "It's the green bottle on the third shelf." He guided her. She brought him his medicine and watched him as he ground the leafy plant into a fine dust and mixed it with a glass of water. "I wish to go home now." she said as he chugged down the revolting looking concoction. When he was finished he set the glass on a side table. "When our son becomes Marak and I'm resting in the Hall of Kings, you will be free to roam the upper lands." Delilah frowned. "You mean when you're dead." He nodded, "Yes, but if you're a good little King's Wife I might just release you from the door spell before hand." Delilah cocked an eyebrow, "What's a door spell?" Marak reached up and touched her forehead, "I have placed a mark here. The door to the outside world will not open for you for as long as this symbol is engraved upon your brow. I am the only one who may remove it, so you better be nice to me. That means, no more stabbing. I'm not letting you anywhere near any more sharp objects. You'll just have to eat all your meals with a spoon." He chuckled.

"How many times do I have to tell you? I'm not going to marry you!" Delilah growled, jumping too her feet much too fast. She plopped back down in the chair. "Not now, but you will once you turn seventeen. You have an entire year to get to know me and become familiar with my subjects. Most of the King's Wives before you never got that chance." Delilah rolled her eyes, "lucky me." She sighed, slowly rising to her feet. She left without another word, ignoring his pleas for her to stay.

When she came back to her quarters. She found her mother and Tagero having tea again. "How was your visit?" asked Linda, pouring the goblin more tea. "Ugh! He's infuriating!" she raged, stomping off to her corner.

That night, there was a knock on the door. Linda went to answer it. "Oh, hello Marak. It's good to see you up and about. Tagero was very worried about you. Are you here for Delilah?" she heard her mother ask. "Yes ma'am. I figured you both must be starving. I'm here to escort you to dinner. Tagero will be meeting us in the dining room." Linda squealed like a schoolgirl, "Oh goody! Delilah, let's go to dinner!" Delilah entered the room with an annoyed expression on her face. "We just ate." She reminded her mother. "O-oh…umm…well…I-I'm still hungry." Delilah groaned to herself, noticing that Marak was laughing quietly to himself. "Whatever."

Linda clapped her hands together, jumping up and down in delight. Her motives were transparent. Ever since she met Tagero, she'd completely forgotten how angry she was about being dragged underground. Delilah had the sneaking suspicion that her mother liked living with goblins.

Marak offered her his arm but Delilah ignored him. She walked on ahead of him, with her arms crossed over her chest. "Is she always this difficult?" asked Marak with a sigh. Linda pat him on the shoulder, " Give her some time, lad. She's stubborn. It's hard for her to trust people, especially men." Marak offered her his arm and she gladly took it with a smile, "Why is that?" he asked her in a low whisper so that Delilah wouldn't overhear. Linda's smile transformed into a frown; "Her father abandoned us a few years back. I never told her this but I think I knew he wasn't going to come back when he left for America. We had grown apart over the years. But she loved him dearly. They were close. In the end, it wasn't my heart he broke; it was hers."

"Hello Linda." Greeted Tagero when they entered the dining room. Linda giggled and skipped to the strongly built tiger-like goblin's side. She wrapped her arms around his arm and the pair walked away to their own private table. "Fickle woman" mumbled Delilah beneath her breath. "She's certainly settled into goblin life." Laughed Marak, as he led her to their table. "Shut up, Batclaw"

Delilah sat next to him at the table, just across from Berta. "How was your day?" asked the elf woman, tearing her bread into bite-size pieces. "Uh, it could have been better." Answered Deliliah, stuffing a piece of deer meat into her mouth. "Mother stop giving her such a hard time. Don't you remember how you felt when you first came here?" Berta gave her son an innocent look, "Whatever do you mean? I was only asking how her day went. She came so close to getting rid of you." She cooed, glaring at Delilah. "She must be so disappointed you survived." Marak leaned his head on his clawed hand, giving his mother a knowing look. "You know, Father once told me of the time he awoke to find you looming over him with a pillow in your hands. You weren't going to smother him with that pillow were you?" Berta looked like a frightened deer, Her eyes wide and pupils dilated. "O-of course not. Um…I'm finished. I think I'll retire early." She stuttered, quickly leaving the table. "Thank you." Delilah mumbled, stuffing more meat into her mouth.


End file.
